WOMAN WITH BIRTHMARK

Simon Vance narrates this Scandinavian crime story, creating plausible and likable characters through his use of accents. Maria Adler seeks revenge for an event that happened years before. As she embarks on a series of murders, it’s up to Inspector Van Veeteren and his team to investigate the deaths and to track down Adler. The victims are obviously connected but how? Vance’s use of nonspecific British regional accents to differentiate the characters works well. He keeps the slowly evolving plot moving, successfully pacing each step of the investigation, however mundane. While there’s an overall sense of melancholy throughout the book, there’s also a liberal dash of humor, which Vance allows to shine through the sometimes-bleak story line. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2011]